First Impression is the Best Impression - How to Impress Your Potential Employer in the Oil & Gas Sector?

Posted 30 Jul 2014

This article outlines strategies job prospects can follow to make the best first impression.
- Jess Potts

A great CV would enhance your chances of getting an interview call, but having got the call, it’s your performance during the interview that would decide if you would land the job or not.

There have been several instances of candidates not being able to communicate their skills effectively, thereby failing to make the cut.

Here are some strategies job prospects can follow to make the best first impression:

Do your homework

It would be advisable to conduct a thorough research on the potential employer (mission statement, company history, products and services, management, company culture). This would impress upon the recruiters that the candidate is serious about the job.

Again, getting an insight into the job description would enable you to be better prepared while answering questions on your skill sets, and convince the employer - you are the right fit.

Attention to detail

Every candidate is hit by interview nerves, and it’s important to stay calm during the interview to ensure you are listening effectively.

It would be perfectly alright to clarify a question and paraphrase, instead of assuming something, and giving the incorrect answer, which would send a wrong signal about your competencies.

Expect the Unexpected

Interviewers often have tight schedules, and hence may only have glanced through the CV without paying attention to details. Therefore, a job seeker must not be taken aback if they seek any information that’s already documented in the CV.

Again, some recruiters would prefer the candidate elaborate about the expertise. The onus is on the candidate to ensure the interviewers get an insight into the profile to make an informed decision.

Ask open ended questions

The quality of questions would definitely determine the final outcome. Asking open ended questions would make the interviewers believe that the candidate is interested in the organization’s growth, and serious about getting the job.